Boot or shoe



(No Model.)

0. P'. MARTINE.

BOOT 0R SHOE.

Pafien te d Aug. 30, 1887.

INVENTURI 53 m WIT SSES:

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. MARTINE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOOT OR SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369,068, dated August 30, 1887.

Application filed June 25, 1887. Serial No. 242,451. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. MARTINE, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, .have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boots or Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to boots having an opening in the quarter, one edge or side of which overlaps the other, as in the ordinary button-boot.

The object of the invention is to enable a boot of this class to be more quickly and conveniently fastened and unfastened than a button-boot; and to this end it consists in theimprovements, which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a perspective View of the improved boot on fastened and the overlapping edge of its opening thrown back. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of my improved boot fastened- Fig. 3 represents a section on line as as, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a section on line 3 Fig. 2.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In carrying out my invention I make a boot similar in all respects to an ordinary buttonboot, excepting that it has no button-holes and no operative buttons, although for ornamentation I prefer to apply a series of imitation buttons, s, to the outer surface of the fly.

In the edge of the flap or fly c which overlaps the outside quarter, a, of the boot I insert a spring, b, which extends continuously from end to end of said fly, and is preferably composed of two or more leaves or members, each being a single strip or piece of suitably-tear pered wire. This spring is placed between the outer and inner thicknesses of the fly, and is secured in place by stitches formed around it.

To the inner side of the fly, at a point preferably between the middle and the lower end of the fly, I attach firmly a cord, d, and in the upper end of the fly I form a hole, i, which is preferably hushed by an eyelet. The cord d is passed upwardly along the inner side of the fly to the hole 2' and passed through the same, as shown. The cord is provided at a point outside of the fly with an enlargement, j, which may be a knot tied in the cord, or, as I prefer,

a knob of metal preferably attached to the cord by a small set-screw, so that it can be adjusted to different sized ankles.

To the outside quarter, a, I attach two laci ng-hooks, 7c is, of any suitable form. Thelower hook, 7c, is arranged so that it will be overlapped and concealed by the fly, and will engage the cord d near the point where thelatter is secured to said fly. The upper hook, is, is located farther back than the lower hook, it, so that the fly will not overlap it, as shown in Fig. 2.

The boot is fastened by first engaging the cord at with the lower hook, is, and then after it is drawn taut inserting it in the upperhook, k, so that the enlargement] on said cord will bear against one edge of said hook and prevent the cord from slipping backwardly through the hook. When the fly is thus secured, the spring b keeps its edgein close contact with the quarter a and prevents the fly from working or moving in the direction of its length, so that the cord d cannot be disengaged from the hook is so long as its enlargement j is held by the hook k.

It will be seen that by this improvement the fly can be very easily and quickly secured, and by the use of one hand only.

I prefer to place under each lacing hook a thin metal plate, m, interposed between the outer and inner thicknesses of the quarter, and secured by the eyelet or rivet that secures the hook. Said plate prevents the hook from tipping and thus injuring the wearers foot.

By making the spring b in the fly of two leaves or strips I not only obtain greater elasticity, but also greater durability. In case of the breakage of one strip the other will continue to act and keep the device operative.

I am aware that a spring has been inserted in the overlapping edge of a boot-upper, and therefore I do not claim the same, broadly.

I claim 1. A boot of the class herein described, havingthe flap or fly formed to overlap the quarter, and provided with a spring, I), in its edge and with an orifice, i, in its upper end, the cord (I, attached at one end to the inner side of the fly and passed along said inner side to and through the orifice i and provided with the enlargement j, the hook 70, arranged to be 00v ered by the fly and to engage the cord near its the fly, and provided with the adjustable enpoint of attachment with the fly, and the hook largement j, as set forth.

75', arranged above the hook k in position to re- In testimony whereof I have signed my name ceive the cord (1 and engage the enlargement to this specification, in the presence of two sub- I 5 5 thereof, as set forth. scribing witnesses, this 22d day of June, A. I).

2. The flap or fly having a spring inserted 1887. in its edge, composed of a plurality of strips of metal, as set forth. CHARLES MARTINE' 3. The boot having the fly 0, spring I), ori- Witnesses: 1o fice i, and hooks k 1;, combined with the lacing- O. F. BROWN,

cord attached at one end to the inner side of A. D. HARRIsoN. 

